Homocysteine metabolism AdoMet

Once inside the cell, folates participate in a number of interconnected metabolic pathways involving (1) thymidine and purine biosynthesis necessary for DNA synthesis, (2) methionine synthesis via homocysteine remethylation, (3) methylation reactions involving S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), (4) serine and glycine interconversion, and (5) metabolism of histidine and formate (see Figure 8). Via these pathways. 

In the nonprotein fraction reduced glutathione, GSH, is ubiquitous, and is commonly a mqjor constituent (Table I). The soluble fraction of plants also includes a variety of other sulfur-containing compounds that are normally present in relatively small amounts (a) Intermediates on the route to protein cysteine and protein methionine, such as cysteine, cystathionine, homocysteine, and methionine, (b) Compounds involved in methyl transfer reactions and polyamine synthesis AdoMet.t AdoHcy, and, presumably, 5 -methyl-thioadenosine. The biochemistry of the compounds in both groups (a) and (b) will be discussed here, (c) Compounds clearly related metabolically to cysteine or methionine, such as 5-methylcysteine and 5-methylmethionine. Because in certain plants these derivatives comprise a major portion of the nonprotein sulfur amino acids, they will be discussed here, (d) A number of compounds of uncertain function, the biochemistry of which has often not been clarified. Discussion of such compounds (Richmond, 1973 Fowden, 1964) is beyond the scope of this chapter. 

Plants, in common with microorganisms and animals, require methionine chiefly for three roles, (a) As a component of protein, a role which accounts for most of the methionine in the cell, (b) As a component of methionyl tRNA (in eukaryotes) and formylmethionyl tRNA (in chloroplasts, mitochondria, and prokaryotes), factors required for initiation of protein synthesis. (c) As a component of AdoMet, the chief biological methyl donor, the obligatory precursor of spermidine and spermine, and an effector of certain enzymes. In addition to these chief roles, a major pathway for the metabolism of methionine in certain plant tissues is its conversion to ethylene (see Yang and Adams, this series, Vol. 4, Chapter 6). Only plants and microorganisms can synthesize the homocysteine moiety of methionine novo, and the importance of this synthesis in the sulfur cycle has been noted in the introduction. 

Figure 44.1 Folate-mediated one carbon metabolism network. Enzymes and transport proteins are enclosed in rectangular boxes. AHCY S-adenosyDiomocys-teine hydrolase AICART 5-aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide transferase BHMT betaine homocysteine methyltransferase CBS cystathionine beta-synthase DHFR dihydrofolate reductase FR folate receptor FTCD formimidoyltransferase cyclodeaminase GART glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase MATs (MATI/MATIII) adenosylmethionine transferase enzyme I/III MS methionine synthase MSR methionine synthase reductase MT methyltransferase MTHFD methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase MTHFR 5,10-methylenete-trahydrofolate reductase MTHFS 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate synthase. RFC reduced folate AdoMet 5-adenosylmethionine AdoHcy S-adenosylhomocysteine Hey homocysteine SHMT serine hydroxymethyltransferase TS thymidylate synthase.

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